Ammunition-loading apparatus.



A. T. DAWSON & J. HORNE.

ANIMUNITION LOADING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED nmz. Isla.

1,182,988. l Patented May16,1916.

2 SHEETS-'SHEET I.

vA. T. DAWSON-IL J. HORNE.

AMMUNITION LOADING APPARATUS.

Patented Mayl, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 2, 1913.

THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co., WASHINGTON. D. c.

fourre srarns rann'r o ARTHUR TREVOR- DAWSON, OF WESTMINSTER, LONDON, AND JAMES I-IO'R-NE, OF

IBARROW-IN-FURNESS, ENGLAND, ASSIGNORS T0 VICKERS LIMITED, 0F WEST- MINSTER, ENGLAND.

.AMMUNITION-IOADING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 16, 1916.

Original application led November 5, 1912, Serial No. 729,564. Divided and this application filed December To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that we, ARTHUR TREvoR DAWSON, knight, and JAMES I-IORNE, both subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing, respectively, at Vickers House, Broadway, Westminster, in the county of London, England, and Naval Construction Works, Barrow-in-Furness, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ammunition- Loading Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus of the kind in which the powder charges and the projectile are raised in a lower cage to a working chamber wherein the said powder charges and projectile are transferred from the lower cage to an upper or gun loading cage by which they are carried to the breech of the gun.

According to this invention the powder charge holder of the gun loading cage is movably mounted relatively to the projectile tray and may be displaced by hand or otherwise either directly or through suitable gearing. A portion of the said tray may be hinged longitudinally, and means are provided for automatically rocking said hinged portion to enable the powder charge holder to be swung into position.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, we will describe the same more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figures 1 and 2 are respectively a side elevation and an end elevation showing a constructional form of the gun loading cage. Figs. 3 and 4 are views similar to Figs. 1 and 2 showing a slightly modified form of the gun loading cage. Fig. 5 is a view showing the means employed for moving a part of the projectile tray. y

The gun loading cage B comprises the rotary powder charge holder B and the projectile tray B2, the latter being, in the examples shown, pivotedto the cage by a transverse pivot b2 to enable the tray to assume an inclined position during the ascent and descent of the cage as is well understood. The powder charge holder B is provided with two separate compartments b b Serial No. 804,162.

B3, which quadrant gears with a pinion ZJX on the pivot BX. In Figs. l and 2 the quadrant is formed with external teeth and in Figs. 3 and 4 with internal teeth. In order to reduce the eifort required to be exerted in moving the holder B it is balanced by suitable means such as a spring or (as in the examples shown) a balance weight Bzx. In Figs. l and 2 this balance weight is carried by an arm attached directly to the pivot B, but in Figs. 3 and 4 the weight is shown as being carried by an arm mounted on a spindle b2* which is connected by a chain and sprocket wheels with the pivot BX. Instead of moving the holder by hand we may move it automatically in the manner set forth in our application led herewith.

In the example illustrated a-portion B2XX of the projectile tray B2 of the gun loading cage, namely the part adjacent to the powder holder B, is hinged longitudinally j by the spindle 62"* to the fixed part so as to be capable of being lowered automatically into the position shown in broken lines in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 when the powder holder B is being moved about its pivot BX as aforesaid to bring the powder charges into the ramming positions. The means employed for automatically moving the part BZXX comprise in the example shown in Fig. 5. a spring controlled bell crank lever BSX adaptedto be rocked about its spindle in a clockwise direction by the engagement of a cam surface BG* on the holder with a roller on the said bell crank lever. Attached to this lever is an arm having a roller B8 that engages in a channel B9 on the part B2 X to cause'it to be displaced into the position shown in broken lines. When the holder returns to the position shown, the spring of the bell crank lever B8X causes the` latter and the part B2Xx to resume their normal positions.

Vhat we claim and desire to secure'by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus for heavy ordnance, the combination with the projectile tray of the gun loading cage, of a powder charge holder having separate powder charge compartments, and means for rotatably mounting said holder relatively to the projectile tray.

2. In ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus for heavy ordnance, the combination with the projectile tray of the gun loading cage, of a powder charge holder having separate powder' charge compartments, means for rotatably mounting said holder relatively to the projectile tray, and manual means for angularly displacing said holder.

3. In ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus for heavy ordnance, the combination with the gun loading cage, of a transversely pivoted projectile tray, a powder charge holder having separate powder. charge compartments, means for rotatably mounting said holder relatively to the tray, and a longitudinally hinged portion of said tray. j

4. In ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus for heavy ordnance, the combination with the gun loading cage, of atransversely pivoted projectile tray, a powder charge holder having separate powder charge compartments, means for rotatably mounting said holder relatively to the tray, a longitudinally hinged portion of said tray, and means for automatically rocking Said hinged portion of the tray.

5. In ammunition hoisting and loading apparatus for heavy ordnance, the combination with the gun loading cage, of atransversely` `pivoted projectile tray, a powder charge holder having separate powder charge compartments, means for rotatably mounting said holder relatively to the tray, a longitudinally hinged portion of said tray, and means whereby the movement of the powder charge holder rocks said hinged portion of the tray.

In testimony whereof we aiiix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR TREVOR DAVSON. JAMES HORNE.

Witnesses to the signature of Sir Arthur Trevor Dawson:

HENRY KING, JN0. R. CAswnLL. l/Vitnesses to the signature of James Horne:

IV. H. ATKINSON, A. D. LLOYD.

Oopies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing` the Commissioner o# Patents, Washington, D. C. 

